Confrontation in the Mountains, Confusion at Fitzroy

Dear Fellow Earthlings, On the 6th of June 1982 the British were trickling into the mountains west of Port Stanley, where the Argentines had been consolidating their positions for the past six weeks. The 8,400 or so fighters (comprising 33 company groups) entrenched in those mountains, were now being tested by British forces whose numbers would soon more or less match those of the Argentines. Neither of the opposing forces were having a picnic on those mountains. However, the Argentines, whose military experience had to date consisted primarily of fighting against disenchanted, poorly trained rebels inside Argentina, were now up against the British armed forces, whose members had years of extensive military training as well as BOTH overseas AND domestic live fire experience. At this point the British had control of Mount Kent, the highest peak in the area -- but not of Mounts Harriet & Longdon, Two Sisters, Tumbledown, or Sapper Hill. On the other hand, minefields laid by the Argentines were everywhere -- and the Argentine forces themselves were dug in, and supported by thirty 105mm and four 155 mm guns. Though well armed the Argentines were not well supplied: their food was giving out, since British Harrier aircraft controlled the skies. This prevented Argentinian helicopters from bringing in much needed food and other supplies from Port Stanley. Regarding the impending tragedy that would take place on the 8th of June 1982, the Welsh Guards,on the evening of this day, were boarded onto HMS Fearless and transported to the Fitzroy area where they were to offload from Fearless and board the 4 landing craft that had offloaded the Scot Guards on the previous evening. But those 4 landing craft were not there waiting for them when Fearless arrived at the appointed meeting area... This was the beginning of the chain of events that would lead up to the Fitzroy tragedy of 8 June 1982. Steve Walker Earthsaver and Jingles Creator

© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.